uni – SoraNews24 —Japan News— https://soranews24.com Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today. Wed, 30 Apr 2025 13:00:06 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.4 https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/05/en_rocket_1024.png?w=32 uni – SoraNews24 —Japan News— https://soranews24.com 32 32 176746664 Is the shrimp, strawberry, and cheese sushi at Kura Sushi right now mad genius, or simply mad? https://soranews24.com/2025/04/30/is-the-shrimp-strawberry-and-cheese-sushi-at-kura-sushi-right-now-mad-genius-or-simply-mad/ https://soranews24.com/2025/04/30/is-the-shrimp-strawberry-and-cheese-sushi-at-kura-sushi-right-now-mad-genius-or-simply-mad/#comments Wed, 30 Apr 2025 13:00:03 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=700277

We can’t resist the temptation of a novel combination of toppings…but was it any good?

Popular conveyor belt sushi restaurant Kura Sushi has been holding a special ikura (salmon roe), uni (sea urchin), and meat promotional campaign since April 18 in commemoration of the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo happening now. Even though our Japanese-language reporter Tasuku Egawa wasn’t in the area, he could still feel the reach of the event when he visited his local Kura Sushi branch in Saitama the other day to satisfy a sushi craving.

Once Tasuku sat down, he began browsing through the limited-time campaign merchandise on the digital tablet, which included products with the Expo mascot Myaku-Myaku.

The special campaign menu items focused on variations of the ikura, uni, and meat theme. All of the offerings definitely looked delicious, but there wasn’t anything that he felt was totally unconventional.

Except…huh? What was that in the bottom right of the screen?!

▼ “Shrimp, strawberry, and cheese sushi (230 yen [US$1.60])”

Tasuku couldn’t quite believe his eyes. Fruit and sushi…?! He’d never seen such a combination before, much less eaten anything with strawberries and shrimp together. It was also the exact same price as the rich uni sushi in the campaign, which seemingly indicated that they must be on par with each other.

However, after getting over his initial surprise, he decided that he shouldn’t judge the sushi before trying it. Maybe that blending of three flavors would prove to be on the same level as more classic combos. That’s why he decided to order both of them and do a little side-by-side taste testing.

▼ Left: rich uni sushi, Right: shrimp, strawberry, and cheese sushi

Tasuku started with the rich uni sushi, which boasted the usual delicious flavor of luxurious uni. Now it was time for the unconventional one. For starters, he didn’t even know how he was supposed to eat it. Should he pop a piece into his mouth as is, or should he dip it in soy sauce as usual? There were more questions than answers, and ultimately he decided that there was no better way to find out than to start with its basic, unaltered flavor.

▼ A close-up of the sushi in question (questionable sushi?)

The verdict? He honestly had no idea. It was such a new combination of flavors for him that he couldn’t even find the words to describe this tasting experience. After some pondering, it was clear that the combo wasn’t bad by any means, but he also couldn’t decide it if were good enough to call it delicious. If he had to analyze it rationally, the first flavor to hit him was the sourness of the berries followed by the cheese. That’s a good pairing in general, but as you can probably guess, the existence of the shrimp complicated things. Actually, the shrimp was almost overpowered by the other flavors to the point that its texture was the main contribution to the mix. He concluded that the mysterious sushi was simple, clean, and pretty good after all.

To further test his conclusion, Tasuku decided to order another plate of the sushi to pair it with a kaisen uni temaki (seafood uni hand-roll) (190 yen) this time.

There’s no doubt that the temaki was delicious, but if you’re looking for the best uni bang for your buck, then Tasuku recommends ordering the rich uni sushi instead.

Before eating the shrimp, strawberry, and cheese sushi again, Tasuku decided to take a step into potential culinary chaos by drizzling some soy sauce on it. “Here goes nothing,” he thought as he popped a piece into his mouth.

It was actually great! He was vexed to admit it, but the soy sauce really brought out the flavor of the cheese and shrimp. It also paired unexpectedly well with the strawberry. Dare he say it, but he couldn’t even choose which of the 230 yen-sushi plates to recommend over the other.

By the way, for those in a more traditional sushi mood, here are some of Tasuku’s other recommendations from the current campaign.

▼ Aburi yaki-harasu (grilled fatty salmon belly) (250 yen): The slices are generously sized, delicious, and the whole thing is a reasonable price.

▼ Thick akagai (ark shell clam) (280 yen)–It was consistently delicious from start to finish. Tasuku realizes that shellfish may polarize some people, but for those that like it, this one is highly recommended.

▼ Yuzu buri (yellowtail) (160 yen): Fresh yellowtail paired with the citrus of yuzu makes for a refreshingly delicious combination.

▼ Uni cream chawanmushi (egg custard) (410 yen): Uni is sprinkled into this creamy chawanmushi, which altogether packs a flavorful punch.

On a final note, if you’re not quite feeling up to going out to eat sushi at the moment, you could always opt to stay in and design your own conveyor belt sushi experience instead.

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]]> https://soranews24.com/2025/04/30/is-the-shrimp-strawberry-and-cheese-sushi-at-kura-sushi-right-now-mad-genius-or-simply-mad/feed/ 0 700277 7_15a49d In search of the elusive Sea Urchin Butter from Kaldi【Taste test】 https://soranews24.com/2021/12/01/in-search-of-the-elusive-sea-urchin-butter-from-kaldi%e3%80%90taste-test%e3%80%91/ https://soranews24.com/2021/12/01/in-search-of-the-elusive-sea-urchin-butter-from-kaldi%e3%80%90taste-test%e3%80%91/#comments Wed, 01 Dec 2021 04:00:39 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=567488

Our reporter is bitter no one but her ever bought her a better butter, like Uni Butter.

In the popular food retail chain Kaldi, there exists a product so delectable that it sells out almost as soon as it hits the shelves. It’s called Uni Butter, but the first part of the name isn’t “uni” in the sense of one butter to unite us all. Rather it’s the Japanese word “uni” – pronounced “ooh-nee” – which refers to those spikey aquatic creatures known as sea urchins in English.

▼ More often than not shoppers are greeted with a sign like this red one saying that Uni Butter is currently sold out and more stock is on the way.

Only a chosen few can be at a Kaldi when its stock of Uni Butter arrives, and recently one of those lucky people was our writer Mai Tsubomi. Restraining her excitement, she carefully took the pack to the check-out counter, avoiding the stares of competing shoppers, and then rushed home like Charlie after finding the golden ticket.

Uni Butter is very simple in concept, Kaldi just took ground-up sea urchin and blended it in with a rich-tasting butter. After opening her tub, Mai found the orange concoction to be very light and fluffy, more like whipped butter. She could easily scoop some up with a spoon.

The spoonful had a salty aroma of the ocean and Mai couldn’t help but take a quick lick of it. Sure enough, the flavor of sea urchin melted throughout her mouth, but keeping in mind this is essentially pure butter and all the calories that come with it, she decided to hold back from just wolfing the whole thing down straight.

Instead, she tried the recommended serving style of placing a dab of Uni Butter on a piping hot bowl of white rice.

It was a lot like putting a piece of sea urchin onto rice, only in this case the meat melts into a rich sauce that seeps throughout the grains. As a result, each chopstickful of rice was coated in a smooth and salty seafood taste.

According to Kaldi, also adding a touch of soy sauce really brings out the sea urchin flavor. Mai tried it and agrees but also feels that anyone would be perfectly happy with just the Uni Butter alone.

For her next trick, our writer decided to make a super simple seafood butter pasta dish by melting some Uni Butter on spaghetti and tossing on some seaweed for good measure. Interestingly the butter taste was firm in this dish, but the sea urchin notes were greatly diminished this way. Luckily the seaweed compensated for that and it was still a good meal overall.

The spread had a much more unified taste once again when topping a baguette. Mai thought she could eat this combination all day.

She felt that butter with a hint of sea urchin had endless applications from eggs to meats, and even as a dip for raw vegetables. Both delicious and versatile, it’s no wonder that Uni Butter is such a hot item at Kaldi which is already known for its excellent spreads.

Mai recommends everyone go out and try some right now for 567 yen (US$5) a pack. At least, she would if everyone had a chance of finding it.

Related: Kaldi
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2021/12/01/in-search-of-the-elusive-sea-urchin-butter-from-kaldi%e3%80%90taste-test%e3%80%91/feed/ 0 567488 Japanese vending machine serves up Wagyu beef steaks in the countryside https://soranews24.com/2021/11/26/weird-japanese-vending-machine-find-wagyu-beef-steaks-in-the-countryside/ https://soranews24.com/2021/11/26/weird-japanese-vending-machine-find-wagyu-beef-steaks-in-the-countryside/#comments Thu, 25 Nov 2021 15:00:33 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=566377

Serving sirloin 24 hours a day, 365 days a year!

What would you do if you had a sudden urge to eat delicious, top-quality Wagyu in the middle of the night? Well, if you’re in the countryside in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, you can venture out into the darkness and towards the welcoming light of a Wagyu beef vending machine, which is ready to serve you delicious cuts at any hour of the day or night.

▼ Who said country living isn’t convenient?

Our reporter Haruka Takagi was in the area recently, riding her bike past rice fields in search of the unusual machine, and when she finally spotted it, she was pleased to see it was stocked with not just any old Wagyu, but a luxury brand she was familiar with.

▼ The brand is Yutakaushi, and it’s stocked fresh daily as the vending machine is located at Tanizawa Ranch.

Initially, the ranch sold Wagyu from its direct sales office only on Tuesdays, but due to popular demand they set up a vending machine outside the sales office so customers could buy their goods at any time of the day or night.

▼ Peering inside the machine revealed options like hamburger steaks (1,500 yen [US$13.04]), shoulder roast (1,800 yen), thinly sliced shoulder roast for yakiniku (1,700 yen)…

▼ …as well as offal (1,000 yen), and sirloin steak (1,600 yen).

Prices here were higher than usual beef goods at the supermarket, but that’s because everything here is quality Wagyu beef. Looking at the push-button display revealed some of the items had already sold out, but thankfully the shoulder roast and sirloin steak were still available, so Haruka was able to purchase them.

▼ After making her payment, Haruka heard a thunk, and out came her expensive Wagyu!

The beef she received was much bigger than she’d expected, and because it was stored vacuum-packed and frozen at -20 degrees Celsius, her purchases came with a best-by date of about three months, making it possible to stock up on Wagyu if she so wanted.

Haruka took her purchases home and placed them on a set of scales for closer inspection. The shoulder roast weighed in at 200 grams (seven ounces) and the sirloin at 150 grams, and they were around 1.5 centimetres (0.6 inches) thick, which is an impressive size for a Wagyu steak.

With her mouth already watering, Haruka was keen to taste these, so she started by frying up the sirloin steak in an iron skillet, cutting it in half to fit the dimensions of the pan.

It wasn’t long before her kitchen, and her senses, became filled with the sweet, juicy aroma of sizzling steak. And because she’s not an absolute heathen, Haruka decided to add a few vegetables to the meal at the last minute.

▼ Serving it up on a plate, things became so sizzling hot it steamed up the lens of her camera.

Adding a dash of spice to the steak, Haruka lifted one of the medium-rare slices to her mouth and took her first-ever bite of vending machine Wagyu.

It was insanely delicious. Each bite was filled with sweet, fatty, beefy juices, melting on the tongue as a good Wagyu should, while also satiating her appetite with tender flavour.

▼ Next, Haruka fried up the shoulder roast.

The shoulder roast was 50 grams larger than the sirloin, so the skillet was filled chock-a-block with meat.

▼ It didn’t take long for the supple meat to reach medium-rare, and when she sliced into it and took a bite…

Divine! This was slightly more fibrous than the sirloin steak, which is to be expected due to it being a tougher cut of meat, but its slight chewiness was still soft, and there was even more meaty flavour in this one. If you want to fill your stomach with steak, then this shoulder roast is definitely the best choice for you.

Who knew vending machine Wagyu could be so delicious? Haruka certainly didn’t, but now that she’s had it, she’ll definitely be heading out to the rice fields to stock up on more Wagyu, and hopefully then they’ll have those hamburger patties back in stock too.

If you’re looking for more unusual vending machine finds, don’t forget to check out our recent travels to this coriander vending machine and this one stocked with mega clams. In Japan, there really is a vending machine to suit every taste and budget!

Vending machine information
Yutakaushi Direct Sales Office / ゆたか牛直販所
Address: Aichi-ken, Toyota-shi, Masuzuka Nishimachi Kitayashiki 120-3
愛知県豊田市桝塚西町北屋敷120-3
Vending machine open 24 hours a day, seven days a week

Reference: Yutaka Beef Brand Promotion Council
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Serving up unusual items with a side of generous customer service.

Recently, we’ve been hunting down some of the weirdest vending machines in Japan, but so far our discoveries have been concentrated in and around the Tokyo region.

However, that all changed this week, when our roving reporter Haruka Takagi heard about a machine in Osaka that’s been making news for its unusual products, and so she headed out there to check it out in person.

▼ The vending machine is located on the premises of Sushi Kappo Shidashi Nangiku in Tondabayashi City, Osaka Prefecture.

From the front, this family-run sushi restaurant looks like any other you might find in Japan, but if you let your gaze wander over to the left-hand side of the building, you’ll spot the unusual vending machine.

▼ A sign on the side of the machine reads “普通の自販機ではないのです”, which translates to: “This is no ordinary vending machine“.

So…what makes this vending machine so different to all the others? Well, this one sells sea urchins, and it’s said to be the first sea urchin vending machine in Japan.

The display at the front of the machine reveals there’s a lot more than just sea urchins on offer here — there are options for dry-cured ham, beef skirt steak, ponzu (soy and citrus) sauce, and fish cured between layers of konbu, a preservation method known as “kobujime“.

▼ Haruka was here for the sea urchins, though, which are sourced from Rebun Island, Hokkaido, and priced at 1,500 yen (US$13.20) per pack.

This was the most money Haruka had ever fed into a vending machine, but considering these sea urchins hail from the cold, pristine waters of Rebun Island, located northwest of Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost prefecture, this really was a bargain.

Haruka ran into problems when she attempted to insert her second 1,000-yen bill into the machine, and that’s when she saw a sign, partially hidden behind a sticker, that said only one 1,000-yen bill can be inserted when purchasing the sea urchins. The remaining 500-yen had to be paid in coins, and thankfully Haruka had the right amount with her.

Old machines are known for having weird quirks like this, so it’s best to have some change on hand whenever making a purchase from them. Once Haruka inserted her extra coins into the machine, she gleefully pressed the button for sea urchins, and out they came!

▼ Beautifully presented in a faux wooden box.

Haruka couldn’t resist trying a pack of yellowtail kobujime while she was here, as it was priced at only 500 yen, which is a bargain for kobujime prepared by a sushi restaurant.

▼ According to this sign, there’s a chance to receive a free present if you’re lucky enough to find a winning ticket with your purchase, but Haruka wasn’t a winner that day.

The yellowtail kobujime came with a cute ice pack adorned in a baran grass pattern, mimicking the plastic baran grass usually served with sushi bento boxes. The sea urchin, however, came without an ice pack, so you’ll want to bring one with you if you want to keep it fresh during the journey home.

Haruka was keen to eat her purchases straight away, though, so after lining them up next to each other for a photo…

▼ …she opened up the pack of sea urchin, which is said to weigh around 50 grams (1.7 ounces).

Initially, she was a little concerned that 50 grams of sea urchin wouldn’t amount to much, but she needn’t have worried because there were plenty of juicy morsels here for her to enjoy.

Haruka only started really liking sea urchin a couple of years ago, so she was pretty impressed that she was now not only able to eat them from a vending machine, but actually eager for it. And as soon as she popped one of the sea urchins into her mouth, she let out a satisfied “mmmmm”, as it was smooth, creamy, and delightfully fresh.

▼ Fellow sea urchin lovers will know this feeling.

▼ Next, Haruka reached for her pack of preserved yellowtail.

▼ There were half-a-dozen or so pieces of fish here, all thinly sliced.

Each piece was covered with a sticky gel-like residue from the kelp preservation process, which let its presence be seen in tantalising strands as she picked them up with her chopsticks. It was her first time to try preserved yellowtail like this, and it was a revelation for her taste buds. If this is how good it tastes from a machine, she’ll definitely be looking for this on the menu the next time she visits a sushi restaurant!

Haruka was suitably impressed by the high quality of the items she’d purchased from the machine that day, and after enquiring at the restaurant, she learnt that the unusual sales method was the brainchild of the owner, Yoshihisa Minami. According to Minami, sales decreased during the pandemic, so he installed this machine after being inspired by an acquaintance who used a vending machine to sell roasted sweet potatoes.

Originally, Minami mainly stocked the machine with kobujime products, but after customers asked him to add sea urchins to the machine, he gladly obliged. Now that a “red tide” is currently causing problems in Hokkaido, the price of sea urchins is rising, but the owner is doing his best to avoid raising the price for customers, despite barely making a profit on them.

This is a great example of thoughtful customer service that we’re happy to get behind, so once you’ve bought your coriander at this vending machine and stopped by this machine for mega clams, don’t forget to make the trip out to this humble machine to stock up on preserved fish and sea urchins!

Vending machine information
Sushi Kappo Shidashi Nangiku / 寿司割烹 南喜久
Address: Osaka-fu, Tondabayashi, Wakamatsuchonishi 2-1726-6
大阪府富田林市若松町西2-1726-6
Vending machine open 24 hours a day, seven days a week

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]]> https://soranews24.com/2021/11/03/weird-japanese-vending-machine-comes-with-a-heartwarming-twist/feed/ 0 563622 Weird Japanese vending machine seafood sea urchin unusual Osaka Kansai food images uni review photos 3 We try a rotating sushi chain’s super high-quality 3-layer caviar, sea urchin & fatty tuna sushi https://soranews24.com/2020/02/22/we-try-a-rotating-sushi-chains-super-high-quality-3-layer-caviar-sea-urchin-fatty-tuna-sushi/ https://soranews24.com/2020/02/22/we-try-a-rotating-sushi-chains-super-high-quality-3-layer-caviar-sea-urchin-fatty-tuna-sushi/#comments Sat, 22 Feb 2020 05:00:04 +0000 http://soranews24.com/?p=489594

For just 300 yen, you can try some of Japan’s most luxurious sushi ingredients, but is it worth it?

Sushi is, of course, one of Japan’s delicacies, and if you want to sample really good sushi, naturally you might want to go to a world-famous restaurant like Jiro’s or Sushi Dai. But if you’re not able to get on the year-long waiting list or willing to stand in line for two or more hours, another great option is to visit a conveyor belt sushi restaurant like Kappa Sushi.

Kappa Sushi and other rotation sushi chains have a tiered pricing system for the menu, denoted by the color of the plates that pass by on the belt, but everything is generally very affordable. At Kappa, for example, they used to have the most popular kinds of sushi for just 50 yen (US$0.45) apiece, which is a great way for beginners to get a taste of everything without spending a lot. But what you really have to try is the fancy stuff, particularly their newest limited-edition menu items: the high quality “Three-layer Tsukami-sushi”.

Tsukami-sushi is like nigiri sushi, but it comes with a sheet of nori seaweed that you wrap around it. Made up of caviar, sea urchin, and fatty tuna or spiny-backed crab, all piled on a bed of rice, these two luxurious varieties cost just 300 yen ($2.68) in spite of their expensive ingredients. But at a rotating sushi chain, is it really worth trying these fancy sushi if they’re so cheap? We just had to find out, in the name of journalism, of course.

As it turns out, these aren’t the first of Kappa Sushi’s tsukami-sushi, actually; they’re the fifth pair in a series that started last August, and which all feature different kinds of high quality seafood and fish roe. The star of these two tsukami-sushi, however, is the caviar, which is made from lumpsucker fish eggs. It’s the first time Kappa Sushi has ever offered black caviar on their menu!

So without further ado, let’s dive right into the flavor of the sushi, starting with the variety that comes with extra fatty tuna, or otoro. First of all, we were super impressed to see that the sushi itself looks almost exactly as advertised! The otoro tuna is also cut nice and long, so it extends past the rice, so the tuna-to-rice ratio is good, and it doesn’t look like they were being stingy with the sea urchin or the caviar, either. 

The seaweed also looked like good quality seaweed. Apparently, it was from the first batch of the Reiwa period harvested from the Ariake Sea off the coast of Kyushu. It felt very crunchy and fresh, which is just what we like to see.

Now, the proper way to eat tsukami-sushi is to drop a dash of soy sauce on it, then wrap it up in the seaweed from the top down and take a bite.

When you bite into Kappa Sushi’s three-layer tsukami-sushi with fatty tuna, the fat from the otoro just melts in your mouth and has a delightfully rich flavor. After that comes the unique taste of the sea urchin and the ocean flavor of the seaweed. As a whole it’s super delicious! However, we did feel that the taste of the urchin and the caviar were a little drowned out by the seaweed and the fatty tuna. The caviar, especially, disappeared from the flavor profile, even though it stood out visually on the sushi.

On to the second kind of tsukami-sushi available: the one with spiny-backed crab.

There definitely appeared to be plenty of crab meat to enjoy…but would it overwhelm the flavor of the caviar?

We first did a taste test without the seaweed, and the caviar did have a distinct flavor and a good texture. Sadly, however, we once again didn’t think it stood out much when it was eaten together with the seaweed.

All in all, however, we think 300 yen for each of these tsukami-sushi is well worth the price! These are generally very expensive ingredients, and especially considering that, at some conveyor belt sushi restaurants you might find otoro sushi by itself for 300 yen, this is a great deal. And even though all of the flavors didn’t come out as strongly as we might have liked, the combined flavors were fantastic anyway, so if you like quality sushi, definitely check this out!

These will be on the menu at Kappa Sushi until March 1, or until supplies last, so if you’re interested, get there sooner rather than later! And don’t forget to apply to get free all-you-can-eat sushi at Kappa Sushi…because who doesn’t want free sushi?

Top image: Kappa Sushi
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2020/02/22/we-try-a-rotating-sushi-chains-super-high-quality-3-layer-caviar-sea-urchin-fatty-tuna-sushi/feed/ 0 489594 kappa sushi three layer sushi We try “almost sea urchin” Cup Noodle, the latest chapter in instant ramen trickery【Taste test】 https://soranews24.com/2018/11/22/we-try-almost-sea-urchin-cup-noodle-the-latest-chapter-in-instant-ramen-trickery%e3%80%90taste-test%e3%80%91/ https://soranews24.com/2018/11/22/we-try-almost-sea-urchin-cup-noodle-the-latest-chapter-in-instant-ramen-trickery%e3%80%90taste-test%e3%80%91/#comments Thu, 22 Nov 2018 05:00:16 +0000 http://soranews24.com/?p=432462

After the success of its mystery meat flavor, Cup Noodle turns its ingenuity to the sea and one of Japan’s most expensive ingredients.

Sea urchin, or uni, as it’s called in Japanese, is considered quite the delicacy in Japan, and with the price to match. It’s always one of the most expensive items on the menu at seafood restaurants, and even at inexpensive conveyor belt sushi joints you can expect to pay 400 yen (US$3.50) or so for a plate of just two pieces.

So when Nissin, the makers of the world-famous Cup Noodle brand, announced a new uni instant ramen, they had our attention, as well as a spot on our lunch menu.

11-19 was the release day for the new Cup Noodle Rich Luxuriously Flavorful Sea Urchin Cream flavor, and we snagged a cup as soon as we could. However, Nissin is upfront about telling us that this isn’t regular uni, but “hobo uni” (“almost uni”), with its sea urchin stand-in being a mixture consisting of 6.9 percent actual uni, sort of like its bean-based “mystery meat” which quickly became one of the brand’s most popular flavors.

Taking a peek at the ingredients before cooking, we saw a number of orange crescents sitting atop the noodles, similar in color to the uni seen at sushi restaurants.

Like with most instant noodles sold in Japan, the uni Cup Noodle takes three minutes to cook, so we filled the container with boiling water and waited, then stirred in the included packet of broth flavoring.

▼ Cooking the “hobo uni” softened up its curvature just a bit.

As we stirred the broth, a buttery aroma wafted up towards us, promising strong flavors even before we’d taken our first taste.

The noodles for the Cup Noodle Rich Luxuriously Flavorful Sea Urchin Cream are slightly thinner than those used in regular Cup Noodle varieties. They don’t taste any different, but they do lend a bit of an elegant atmosphere, and serve to remind you that you’re eating a special flavor. Meanwhile, the broth is as creamy and flavorful as its scent had led us to expect. It’s almost like a western-style white sauce, and the way it warmed us up had us thinking it’ll be great way to fight off the quickly approaching winter cold.

But of course, the main thing we were here for was the uni. So we picked up one of the crescents with our chopsticks and popped it in our mouth.

Initially, the flavor of the “hobo uni” matches the broth, but as we chewed, gradually the uniquely oceanic creaminess of uni made its presence felt. However, it never quite got to the same depth of flavor you get from eating a piece of actual uni sushi. Instead, the effect is more like eating uni-flavored snack food.

But like we said, Nissin doesn’t call this uni ramen, it calls it “almost uni” ramen. Personally, we think “sort of uni” would be the more accurate description, but that doesn’t mean it tastes bad at all, and at just 210 yen, this is an inexpensive and convenient way to get a bit of your uni fix.

Photos ©SoraNews24

]]> https://soranews24.com/2018/11/22/we-try-almost-sea-urchin-cup-noodle-the-latest-chapter-in-instant-ramen-trickery%e3%80%90taste-test%e3%80%91/feed/ 0 432462 UC 1 2,500 yen for Tokyo ramen? High-end noodles in the high-rent Ginza district are totally worth it https://soranews24.com/2018/08/22/2500-yen-for-tokyo-ramen-high-end-noodles-in-the-high-rent-ginza-district-are-totally-worth-it/ https://soranews24.com/2018/08/22/2500-yen-for-tokyo-ramen-high-end-noodles-in-the-high-rent-ginza-district-are-totally-worth-it/#comments Wed, 22 Aug 2018 03:00:25 +0000 http://soranews24.com/?p=423246

Mr. Sato once again fails to secure a cheap meal, continues to win at lunch thanks to two gourmet ingredients.

Usually, ramen is a particularly plebian pleasure. You can find tasty varieties of cup ramen in convenience stores for just a few hundred yen, and even in sit-down restaurants, the most expensive types of ramen usually top out at about 1,000 yen (US$9).

So our Japanese-language reporter Mr. Sato, coming off recent meals involving premium-priced (but delicious) versions of the ordinarily budget-friendly options of a bento boxed lunch and beef bowl, figured grabbing a bowl of ramen should make for a cheap lunch.

Wandering down a narrow alley in Tokyo, he emerged in front of Maishi, a ramen restaurant which just opened in April. As Mr. Sato approached the restaurant, with its exterior paint still bright, he glanced down at the menu board and was immediately reminded that he was in the Ginza neighborhood, one of the capital’s fanciest districts.

Instead of topping out at 1,000 yen, Maishi’s ramen starts at the four-digit price point. 1,000 yen gets you their standard sea bream broth ramen, which is served with a slice of roast chashu-style chicken. Stepping up to 1,300 yen gets you access to the sakura ebi shrimp topping, 1400 yen scallops, and 1,500 yen oysters.

What really got his attention, though, was what awaited at the eye-popping price of 2,500 yen (US$22.50): the Uni Sanshumori Tai Ramen, or Sea Bream Broth Ramen with Three Kinds of Sea Urchin.

“2,500 yen for ramen?!?” Mr Sato thought incredulously as he turned around and walked away…at least, that’s what he thought he’d done. It’s what his brain had told his feet to do, anyway. And yet, mysteriously, he found himself somehow seated inside Maishi, clumsily saying “I’d like the sea urchin one, please.”

“Has the summer heat roasted my brain?” Mr. Sato thought, reflecting on his apparent lack of ability not only to resist his urges, but to even be conscious of them. Still, maybe this wouldn’t turn out so bad. Sea urchin, or uni as it’s called in Japanese, is a prized delicacy in the Japanese seafood world, and Maishi is the sister restaurant of Itadori, a respected sushi restaurant in Tokyo’s Nihonbashi neighborhood.

In addition to requiring more financial resources than a typical bowl of ramen, the Uni Sanshumori Tai Ramen also requires a bit more patience. After 10 minutes, though, Mr. Sato’s order was placed before him on the counter.

It was nothing less than a work of elegant art. Sitting in the middle of the bowl, as though enshrined there, was a generous serving of sea urchin, floating in the amber broth and encircled by a swirl of specially made uni sauce.

There was also a side dish with his chicken chashu and some menma bamboo shoots, but he hardly noticed it, being completely captivated by the enticing morsels of sea urchin, which were so beautiful that it was hard to imagine they started out as intimidatingly spiny sea creatures.

It’s standard ramen-tasting procedure to start with the broth, so Mr. Sato filled a spoonful. After pausing briefly to admire its uniquely enchanting hue, he took a taste, and was thrilled by the powerful yet delicious flavor of sea bream.

But that elation quickly gave way to trepidation. With the broth being so flavorful, would he still be able to taste the sea urchin? Careful not to crush any of the uni, he scooped some up and brought the spoon to his lips…

…only to find that his fears had been entirely unnecessary. The sea urchin was in no way overpowered by the sea bream, with its rich sweetness spreading through his mouth like a cumulus cloud, making the final sensation of every bite one of unmistakable uni.

And so, once again, Mr. Sato ended up paying more than he’d expected for what’s usually one of Japan’s humble comfort foods, but while Maishi’s ramen is expensive, it’s so good that it’s by no means overpriced. So now between the Uni Sanshumori Tai Ramen and poisonous blowfish fugu ramen, we’ve got two options for gourmet Ginza noodles.

Restaurant information
Maishi / 麺屋ま石
Address: Tokyo-to, Chuo-ku, Ginza 4-4-1, Ginza A Building 1st floor
東京都中央区銀座4-4-1 銀座Aビル1階
Open 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., 5 p.m.-10:30 p.m. (weekdays), 11:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. (weekends, holidays)
Website

Photos ©SoraNews24

]]> https://soranews24.com/2018/08/22/2500-yen-for-tokyo-ramen-high-end-noodles-in-the-high-rent-ginza-district-are-totally-worth-it/feed/ 0 423246 ER 5 Funny reaction video shows Americans trying sea urchin for the first time https://soranews24.com/2016/04/04/amusing-reaction-video-shows-americans-trying-sea-urchin-for-the-first-time/ https://soranews24.com/2016/04/04/amusing-reaction-video-shows-americans-trying-sea-urchin-for-the-first-time/#comments Mon, 04 Apr 2016 04:00:36 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=313068

How do you think this group will react to the taste of one of Japan’s favorite sushi delicacies?

Recently BuzzFeed posted a video titled “Americans Try Uni (Sea Urchin) for the First Time.” Food reaction videos are always priceless to watch, and in particular the taste of sea urchin, known as uni in Japanese, tends to polarize the crowd one way or the other.

Watch the one-minute thirty-second video below, then scroll down for a few of the best reactions.

While two of the ladies thought the taste wasn’t nearly as bad as they were expecting, some of the others weren’t so impressed, with one of the men declaring that “It tastes like a combination between the ocean and shoe leather.”

Below is a sampling of both the YouTube video comments and some Japanese net user comments:

“What kind of sea urchin did they eat? Santa Barbara uni is usually really creamy, and Hokkaido’s is more flavorful, but no matter the uni you eat, it shouldn’t taste like shoe leather.”

“I am from Greece and every now and then I go and catch some. I cut them up and eat them fresh. They are better like that.”

“Eat it in one bite, please!”

“It’s surprisingly good if you eat it with just wasabi and no soy sauce.”

“We call sea urchin ‘sea cat’ in Barbados.”

What Japanese food should Americans (or other nationalities) sample next? We personally vote for those yakisoba noodles with chocolate sauce!

Sources: YouTube/BuzzFeedVideo via Nyuyaku
Images: YouTube/BuzzFeedVideo

]]> https://soranews24.com/2016/04/04/amusing-reaction-video-shows-americans-trying-sea-urchin-for-the-first-time/feed/ 0 313068 Screen Shot 2016-04-04 at 13.31.26 5 2 3 4 5 6 Sea urchin ramen – Not for the faint of heart! https://soranews24.com/2014/10/09/sea-urchin-ramen-not-for-the-faint-of-heart/ https://soranews24.com/2014/10/09/sea-urchin-ramen-not-for-the-faint-of-heart/#comments Thu, 09 Oct 2014 02:00:38 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=186807

For the ultimate Japanese food experience, sushi or ramen are certainly the top picks. And while sushi covers all the flavors of the ocean and even some less traditional meaty options, ramen remains a steady choice between four main soup stocks: miso, soy sauce, pork and salt.

Of course, more individualistic and unnatural ramen shops exist around Japan, but never before had we heard of a ramen restaurant specializing in sea urchin ramen.

Until now.

Japan and especially Tokyo is a mecca for foodies. But wandering the streets looking for a good place to eat will quickly overwhelm you. Located in the heart of Shibuya, we can thank our good friends at Another Tokyo, for finding this needle in a haystack. The ramen shop is called Tairyo Makoto (大漁まこと), which means “Big Catch Makoto”. Sounds like a place that has a lot of seafood!

The menu won’t let you down, as you don’t often see ramen featuring clam, lobster and crab, so perhaps we are witnessing the birth of a new fishy fad. Even their new ramen, with such simple ingredients as sanma (mackerel pike) and matsutake mushrooms, looks incredibly tempting, but today it’s about the urchin, so bring on the orange stuff!

▼Maybe next time mackerel and mushroom!!

This particular style of ramen is called tsukemen, where the broth and noodles come separately. The diner will dip the noodles into the broth and then slurp them up, sounds included. You can see that the broth really holds onto the color of sea urchin as the restaurant doesn’t try to hide their special ingredient at all.

If you are a fan of those spiky devils in the ocean, then you won’t be able to resist this rare and rich dish. The broth smells pleasantly of sea urchin and it’s nice and thick so it really coats the noodles well to deliver a sensational taste to your palate.

If you can’t wait to get your taste buds on this unique ramen, make your way down to Shibuya, but be wary, the restaurant only has counter space and even at lunch, it was jam packed with seafood ramen lovers.

Tairyo Makoto (大漁まこと):

Access: 3 minute walk from JR Shibuya Station
Address: Tokyo, Shibuya, Dogenzaka 11-2
Phone: 03-6416-9690
Hours: 11:30 – 15:00, 17:00 – 23:00
Holidays: Sundays and national holidays
Price: Sea Urchin Tsukemen 1,050 yen (US $9.71)

Source & Images: Another Tokyo

]]> https://soranews24.com/2014/10/09/sea-urchin-ramen-not-for-the-faint-of-heart/feed/ 0 186807 uni ramen 10 uni ramen 10 uni ramen 3 uni ramen 4 uni ramen 5 uni ramen 6 uni ramen 7 uni ramen 8 Japanese netizens lament over the long, but sad life of sea urchins https://soranews24.com/2014/07/28/japanese-netizens-lament-over-the-long-but-sad-life-of-sea-urchins/ https://soranews24.com/2014/07/28/japanese-netizens-lament-over-the-long-but-sad-life-of-sea-urchins/#comments Sun, 27 Jul 2014 20:00:15 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=168401

Although the spiny, horrifying outside may scare you off, the insides of a sea urchin are one of the most delicious things to come out of the ocean. In Japan, sea urchin, or uni in Japanese, can be enjoyed with sushi, on top of rice or just own its own. Sea urchins are a treat for any seafood fan, but recently a group of Japanese netizens found out a little bit more about the life of the sea creature and began a deep discussion about the spiny little critters.

After finding out that some sea urchins can live for over 200 years, netizens started a thread on a popular site to express their amazement at the animal’s long lifespan. The discussion was apparently brought on by a book called “The Science of Sea Urchins.” Written by biologist Tatsuo Motokawa, the almost 500-page book details the life cycle, eating habits and anatomy of sea urchins. Though the subject may sound dry, it’s worth noting that Professor Motokawa is also known as the “Singing Scientist” and has had songs, such as Living Creatures are Columns, featured on Japanese TV.

▼ The Singing Scientist doing his part to liven up the world of biology

Image: YouTube (maikinman)

Although not all sea urchin species have such long lifespans, netizens were still impressed to find out just how long these little spiny guys could live. Out of the about 950 species, the red sea urchin is the one that seems to have one of the longest lifespans and are also one of the largest species of sea urchins. And not even all red sea urchins live that long. They are found all along the western coast of North America and it looks like those who make their home in Canada are the ones living the longest.

▼ This red sea urchin probably isn’t going anywhere for a while

Image: Wikipedia 

The Internet had a lot of questions about sea urchins with their newfound knowledge, such as pondering the moral implications of eating such an ancient sea creature or whether the long-lasting sea urchins actually enjoy their 200 years of eating mainly algae. Some netizens envied how much some urchins were able to “see” in their long lives and some even thought it would be great to be reincarnated as a sea urchin for their next life. Although the true heart of the thread were the puns netizens threw around to talk about how unbelievable this sea urchin fun fact was.

Doesn’t matter how many times I hear it, sounds really FISHY to me!

How SHELLFISH would it be to eat such an ancient living being.

This new discovery really SHARKED me!

If that were me, I would be in the SEA, URGIN’ for a more exciting life.

Call me a JELLYFISH, because I want to live 200 years.

Although most of these netizens didn’t seem like they would be giving up eating their precious sea urchins, they did appear to have new respect for the spiky animal. While it doesn’t look like all sea urchins live as long as their red sea urchin cousins, it should make you appreciate a little more the impressive work of Mother Nature that goes into a delicious sushi meal.

Feature Image: Yahoo! Japan Shopping
Source: Mudai Document

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